Melbourne Cup 2023: Rachel King on Mission to win for Gai Waterhouse
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She will have had a decent breakfast.
King won't have to spend time wasting to get down to her Melbourne Cup weight.
In fact, the English-born jockey already walks around under Military Mission's 51kg handicap.
King said that was part of the reason Gai Waterhouse and training partner Adrian Bott often book her for big-race rides.
"I'm only 50 (kg) every day so it's easy," she said.
"I get up and have breakfast and a coffee each morning and keep refuelled all day.
"I think that's very important and probably why Gai puts me on in these big handicaps where the weights are light.
"She doesn't like her jockeys not performing at the best of their ability and she's happier to put someone on that's a natural lightweight."
Last year's Sydney Cup was one of several times King has done the job in feature races for Waterhouse and Bott.
The jockey showed big-race pressure was no problem for her when King won last month's Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap on the odds-on favourite Just Fine.
Rachel King will take over from Joao Moreira aboard Herbert Power Stakes winner Military Mission in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images
King can also produce surprises for punters like when she steered $14 chance Arapaho to victory for Ozzmosis's trainer Bjorn Baker in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes in March.
TAB rated King a $23 chance to become the second woman to ride a Melbourne Cup winner after Michelle Payne achieved the feat in 2015.
King said Military Mission was her best Melbourne Cup chance to date after her previous two rides were well held in the testing contest.
"I think we're in with a solid chance," King said.
"He's trained by the right people and the stable is absolutely flying.
"The way he's improved since coming over from the UK has been unbelievable and he keeps getting better and better.
"I'm very confident he'll run out a strong two miles."
Drawing barrier five will make King's task easier on Tuesday.
